Economy and commerce
Trade
Unsafe produce hurting exports
Weak food safety compliance by agricultural product exporters has negatively impacted Vietnam’s exports to European markets, experts said at a trade policy forum, “Food safety: Opportunities and challenges for Vietnamese exporters,” organised in HCM City on March 30. Nowadays, a number of countries apply standards by ...
Germany criticizes US orders on trade deficits
US President Donald Trump’s executive orders on trade deficits and import duty evasion are a sign that Washington plans to move away from free trade and international agreements, German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries said on Saturday. Trump instructed his administration on March 31 to study the causes ...
Full steam ahead for start of Laos-China railway
Hundreds of trucks carrying machinery and equipment for construction of the Laos-China railway have entered Laos after being delayed at the border, a senior government official has said. A special lane has now been allocated at China’s Mohan and Laos’ Boten border crossing to facilitate ...
Savannakhet immigration officials ordered to end border crossing fees
Immigration officials working at the second Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge in Savannakhet province, which forms the border with Mukdahan province in Thailand, have been ordered to stop the collection of immigration and service fees. The Prime Minister’s Office last week issued a notice to the Deputy ...
Data quality vital for economy
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, in collaboration with the National Institute of Statistics, on March 29 conducted a workshop for all relevant government agencies on strengthening the economic statistics of Cambodia. The aim of the workshop was to strengthen capacity ...
ASEAN talks South China Sea in Siem Reap
Chinese and ASEAN representatives are meeting in Siem Reap to begin hammering out a code of conduct for the highly contested South China Sea. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Chum Sounry said Cambodia was hosting the director-general-level meeting on March 29-30. China has openly dismissed ...
PPP Committee wants 6 more transport projects fast-tracked
The Public Private Partnership Policy Committee on March 29 resolved to place six more transportation projects worth Bt600 billion on the fast track for implementation. The Industry Ministry will also set up a working panel as soon as possible to promote investment support and tax incentives ...
MPC ups GDP growth forecast, keeps policy rate
The Bank of Thailand’s Monetary Policy Committee revised up its forecast for this year’s economic growth to 3.4 per cent based on a further recovery of merchandise exports, while leaving the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.50 per cent at its meeting on March 29. Jaturong ...
ASEAN, Russia assess progress of cooperation
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday hosted the 14th ASEAN-Russia Senior Officials’ Meeting in Vientiane to review the progress made in the countries’ cooperation. The meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Thongphane Savanphet, who is also Laos’ ASEAN SOM Leader, and ...
Changes needed to ensure sustainable agriculture
The slow growth of the agricultural sector starting in 2015, shortcomings of small-scale production, poor quality and productivity amid fiercer global competition are threatening the sustainability of farming in Việt Nam and demanding institutional and mechanism changes. These concerns were shared among participants of the ...